Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacdazz’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacdazz’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves with a distinct zonal pattern; early and freely flowering habit; and purplish red-colored semi-double flowers with white-colored centers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACDAZZ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacdazz’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new compact and early-flowering ZonalGeranium plants with dark green-colored leaves and numerous attractiveflowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium xhortorum, not patented, during the summer of 2012. Seed was collectedfrom a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The newZonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated masscross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany during the spring of 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany since January, 2014 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pacdazz’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pacdazz’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves with a distinct zonal pattern.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Purplish red-colored semi-double flowers with white-colored        centers that are held above the foliar plane on strong        peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacpin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.17,385. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal Geraniumdiffer from plants of ‘Pacpin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium have a more        distinct zonation pattern than leaves of plants of ‘Pacpin’.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have longer leaf petioles        than plants of ‘Pacpin’.    -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have larger umbels than        plants of ‘Pacpin’.    -   4. Flower pedicels of plants of the new Zonal Geranium are        yellow green in color whereas flower pedicels of plants of        ‘Pacpin’ are greyish red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Pacdazz’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter,spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were four months old whenthe photograph was taken and nine months old when the detaileddescription was taken. In the detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacdazz’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of            Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly            rounded plant habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated;            moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate;            freely basal branching habit with about ten lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching is typically not required.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 19 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Moderately            pubescent. Color: Close to 146C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 9.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, open.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;            felt-like.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,            close to 146B. Zonation pattern: Intensity: Strong. Distance            from leaf margin: About 8 mm. Width: About 1.8 cm. Color:            Close to 200B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers            arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely            flowering habit with about eleven flower buds and about            twelve open flowers per umbel and about 25 umbels developing            per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin            flowering about 75 days after planting; in the garden in            Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost            in the autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the            plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 10.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About seven; petals imbricate.            Length, upper and lower petals: About 2.4 cm. Width, upper            petals: About 1.7 cm. Width, lower petals: About 2.3 cm.            Shape: Roughly obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 57A; towards the base, close to            155D; venation, close to 57A; color does not change with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 67D; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,            close to 75A; color does not change with development.        -   Petaloids.—To date, petaloid development has not been            observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.            Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.            Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About twelve. Anther length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther            shape: Tubular. Anther color: Close to 43C. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 169A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma            shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 46B. Style            length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 46B. Ovary color:            Close to 138C. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Zonal Geranium.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Zonal    Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and    pests common to Zonal Geranium plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about    35° C. to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named‘Pacdazz’ as illustrated and described.